EA in the Media: Trump and the Pittsburgh Synagogue Shootings

Donald Trump speaking at a rally in Illinois, October 27, 2018

I spoke with George Howell on CNN International on Sunday morning about Donald Trump and the Pittsburgh synagogue shootings, including the danger of hateful language about “globalists” and immigrants and the ongoing evasion of gun control.

Discussion from 17:01:

Donald Trump’s statements yesterday are trying to close a hateful Pandora’s Box that he has helped open.

Robert Bowers yesterday referred to Jews funding caravans of immigrants trying to overrun America. This follows weeks of rhetoric, some of which has come from the President, which has talked about that caravan of 7,000 people as a threat to America, falsely saying it includes “unknown Middle Easterners”. And it follows Donald Trump’s statements going after “globalists”.

I’m not saying that Donald Trump put the gun in Robert Bowers’ hand. I’m not saying that he put the pipe bombs in Cesar Sayoc’s hands. But I am saying that Donald Trump’s language provides justification for those who might carry out these attacks.

About The Author

Scott Lucas is Professor of International Politics at the University of Birmingham and editor-in-chief of EA WorldView. He is a specialist in US and British foreign policy and international relations, especially the Middle East and Iran. Formerly he worked as a journalist in the US, writing for newspapers including the Guardian and The Independent and was an essayist for The New Statesman before he founded EA WorldView in November 2008.